Starter Homes: Cork properties on the market from €285k

First-time buyers can choose from homes across Cork city, Passage West and Midleton, Trish Dromey writes

Mon, 15 Jul, 2024 - 09:55

Trish Dromey

North Mall, Cork city
€345,000
Size	106 sq m (1,140sq ft)
Bedrooms	4
Bathrooms	1
BER	F

SITUATED in an enclave of Victorian cottages with communal gardens, No 6 North Abbey Square on the North Mall seems to offer a more genteel lifestyle than usually found in four-bed city centre properties.

Dating from the 1830s, it’s one of 10 properties in a gated square where residents share a central lawned garden bounded by hedges and flowering shrubs.

Seeking offers of €345,000 for the 106 sq metre semi-detached cottage, Ray Sweetnam of Casey & Kingston says it’s been upgraded over the years and is well maintained. Fitted with double glazing and gas central heating it has an F BER, so new owners will probably want to do some retrofitting and updating.

Accommodation includes a sitting room with a fireplace, a kitchen diner with fitted units as well as four bedrooms and a bathroom. To the rear the property has a small yard with a utility room.

In addition to the gentility of the setting, key selling points include the location - within 10 minutes walk of both Patrick Street/Grand Parade. Mr Sweetnam says city centre properties with gardens are hard to find.

The only recorded sale in North Abbey Square in the last five years was of No 5, an end-of-terrace house, which sold in 2023 for €287,500.

VERDICT: Unusual old world home for city centre.

Rathanker, Co Cork
€295,000
Size	103 sq m ( 1,108 sq ft)
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	2
BER	E1

This detached three-bed bungalow with a third of an acre site at Rathanker, Passage West, represents a fantastic opportunity for a first-time buyer.

So says John Barry of Frank V Murphy auctioneers who is quoting a guide of €295,000 for the 1970s-built property which is well maintained but in need of modernisation and redecoration.

Accommodation includes a kitchen/diner, a sitting room, a utility, three bedrooms and a bathroom. Fitted with double glazing and oil-fired central heating, it has an E1 BER. Located 5.5km from Douglas, it’s within reach of Rochestown and is a big draw, says Mr Barry who already has a bid of €305,000.

VERDICT: Offers scope for expansion

Midleton Co Cork
€285,000
Size	87sq m (944sq ft)
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	3
BER	C1

THE owners of this three-bed end-of-terrace house at 47 the Paddocks, Castleredmond in Midleton have put a lot of effort into sprucing it up for sale.

Selling agents Cronin Wall say the early 2000s-built house — which is new to the market with a guide of €285,000 — has been painted both internally and externally and fitted with new upstairs carpets and new kitchen appliances.

Auctioneer Shay Cronin expects the former rental property to have strong appeal to first time buyers who tend to look for properties in this price range and are always happy to find ones which are ready to move in to.

Offering a laminate floored living room with a fireplace, a kitchen diner with fitted units and a guest WC at ground level. The upstairs has a bathroom and three bedrooms including an en suite room at the front. “The property has gas heating and double glazed windows,’’ says Mr Cronin, noting that the BER is a C1.

Situated at the end of a cul de sac, the property has a driveway at the front and a lawned garden at the rear and is 1.5km from Midleton town centre.

The only recent sales in The Paddocks have been of larger semi-detached houses. No 3 sold for €330,000 in January this year and No 11 sold for €390,000 in December last year.